Middlesex College Foundation Receives Historic $2 Million Gift from the Dalal Family Foundation to Transform Performing Arts Center

The Dalal Family Foundation, founded by Nayan Dalal, has committed to a historic $2 million gift to significantly renovate the current Middlesex College Performing Arts Center (PAC), while also providing ongoing support to the College’s arts program.

“In today’s digital age, where face-to-face connection is often missing, live performances provide something special,” said Dalal. “The performing arts offer an emotional, human experience—for both performers and audiences—that fosters connection, creativity, and self-expression. That’s powerful, especially for young people.”

The Dalal Family Foundation’s generous donation will provide funding to build a new exterior façade, relocated lobby, updated theater, and maintain a facilities and programs sustainability plan. These enhancements will complement a $1.7 million audio/visual technology upgrade funded in large part by a Higher Education Leasing Fund grant awarded by the New Jersey Office of the Secretary of Higher Education. The theater’s aesthetic upgrades, including ambient lighting and improved acoustics, will provide guests with a more intimate and inviting experience.

Middlesex College leadership and the Dalal family, Nayan and his wife Bindu, embraced a common vision of expanding the arts program. This initiative immediately resonated with the Dalals, as they believe the arts are “essential to a well-rounded education and community life.”

“The Dalal Family Foundation’s extraordinary generosity will have a transformative impact on Middlesex College students as well as the entire Middlesex County community,” said Middlesex College President Mark McCormick. “This investment reflects a shared belief in the power of the arts to educate, inspire, and unite. We are deeply grateful to the Dalal family for their longstanding partnership, and for helping us reimagine what is possible for our students and neighbors alike.”

The project, set to break ground in Spring 2026, came about after a more than 10-year long relationship between the Dalal Family Foundation and the Middlesex College Foundation. The Dalal Family has supported Middlesex College through scholarships and other programs for the past decade.

“As the Dalals become increasingly involved with the Middlesex College Foundation, whether it is Bindu’s warm description of the College as ‘our college’ when speaking to scholarship recipients, or Nayan’s sharing a core business philosophy of ‘Profit with Purpose,’ it is obvious that this is a very personal gift on their part,” said Lisa Kelly, executive director of the Middlesex College Foundation. “Nayan’s perspective on growth – ‘Growth with Goodness’ – is not just a part of his business model, it is part of a family philosophy that underpins the Dalal Family Foundation. They are leading the way in showing that private philanthropy has a rightful place at the county college level, where the impact ripples beyond the campus into our shared community.”

“We hope the new Dalal Center for the Arts becomes a cultural cornerstone—a vibrant space where students, families, and local artists can come together,” said Nayan Dalal. “It will be a place where creativity thrives, where new voices are heard, and where the community feels inspired and welcomed. This project isn’t just about upgrading a building—it’s about expanding access, opportunity, and cultural richness for the entire community.”

Both the theater and dance programs offered at the College are designed to prepare students for seamless transfer to four-year programs while grounding them in a robust liberal arts education. This state-of-the-art facility with fresh lighting, acoustics, and advanced tools will better nurture student abilities and allow them to train in conditions that align with professional industry standards.

“The new Dalal Center for the Arts will be a wonderful way for our students to have access to a world-class performance space, with top-notch resources,” said Annie Hogan, Middlesex College Visual, Performing, and Media Arts chair. “The Center will enable the impact to be felt across multiple dimensions: academic, artistic, community-facing, and institutional.”

While the College had plans to upgrade the current PAC with the aid of some state grants, a substantial partner was needed to take this project to the next level.

“That’s where we saw an opportunity to make a meaningful impact—not just by supporting infrastructure, but by enhancing the aesthetics and functionality of a space that will benefit students and the community for years to come,” said Nayan Dalal.

“This project will create opportunities for cross-disciplinary learning across the history, English, and media arts and design programs ensuring academic excellence—fostering student success, enriching artistic innovation, and positioning the college as a cornerstone of cultural life in the community,” said Hogan. “Together, this supports a more holistic performing arts education.”

To learn more about the Dalal Family Foundation, visit dalalfamilyfoundationusa.org

To learn more about the Middlesex College Foundation, visit middlesexcollege.edu/foundation/